Dolphins Win Virtual Playoff Game

The Miami Dolphins haven’t played in a playoff game since the 2008 season. With 11 teams in the AFC entering Thursday’s action with better than .500 records, the game between the 5-4 Buffalo Bills and 5-4 Miami Dolphins was a virtual playoff game.

Miami used a stretch in which they scored 16 points in six minutes to take control of the game and keep their playoff hopes alive as they defeated the Bills, 22-6.

“It says a lot about this team that we can overcome adversity,” Dolphins rookie wide receiver Jarvis Landry said after he had five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown.

The now 6-4 Dolphins would currently be the seventh-seed in the AFC as their record is tied with both Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but Miami’s 5-2 conference record would give them the nod. Miami is just one-half game behind Cincinnati (6-3-1) who travels to New Orleans on Sunday to take on the Saints.

“We have a lot of confidence in the locker room and a lot of confidence in the ability we have to do great things this year,” said Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who completed 26 of 34 throws for 240 yards and two touchdowns.

With Buffalo scoring just three field goals, their touchdown drought is now extended to seven quarters and 21 drives, as they last found pay-dirt in the first quarter of last Sunday’s 17-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

After leading the Bills to some victories, quarterback Kyle Orton has come back to Earth in a major way. Although Orton has completed roughly 65 percent of his throws this season, he hasn’t been able to navigate his team to touchdowns and the Bills are potentially wasting great efforts by their front-seven.

With the loss, Buffalo falls to 5-5.

“We are what our record says we are,” Bills tight end Scott Chandler said. “We have six games left and we have to be better everywhere.”

Help doesn’t appear to be on the way anytime soon for the Bills, as they have two backup quarterbacks and no first-round draft pick next April.

Are Sacks Overrated?

A quarterback sack by the defense normally signals the end of a drive for an offense. Outside of the quarterback, the next most important position are guys that can bring the quarterback down and disrupt his timing.

Last year’s Seattle Seahawks rode a defense that put pressure on opposing quarterbacks all the way to a Super Bowl title, as did many teams in the NFL’s recent and not so recent past.

This year, things appear to be different.

The Buffalo Bills lead the NFL in sacks with 39, followed by the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets. Of those seven teams, just the Eagles and Chiefs would qualify for the playoffs if they were to begin this weekend.

Those teams that wouldn’t qualify for the postseason currently have Kyle Orton, Teddy Bridgewater, Ryan Tannehill, Blake Bortles and Michael Vick under center. Although affecting the opponent’s quarterback seems important, it’s much more important to have a good one of your own.

Quarterback Circle Of Life

When Nick Foles broke his collarbone against the Texans in Week 9, Mark Sanchez came in to replace him. We know that Sanchez played a tremendous game Monday night, but almost as important he completed the quarterback circle of life.

Michael Vick began it all when he was the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles at the beginning of last season. Then, due to injury and inefficiency, Vick was replaced by Nick Foles. Meanwhile, Sanchez hurt his shoulder in the 2013 preseason and he was replaced by then rookie Geno Smith in New York. Fast forward to this season, and Smith was the starting quarterback of the Jets and then he was replaced by Vick due to inefficiency. When Sanchez replaced Foles, everything came full circle.